BSNL Unveils Vaani Upgrade, AI Security and Bharat Sandesh at IMC 2026
BSNL unveiled four initiatives at IMC 2026, including new Vaani features for live network status and voice complaints, AI-powered network security with Saptang Labs, and the Bharat Sandesh government messaging platform. The operator also announced its intent to develop an All-Photonics Network with Fujitsu Japan using its existing dark fibre.
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has announced four initiatives at India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2026, covering customer support, network security, government-to-citizen messaging and future fibre infrastructure. The announcements include new capabilities for BSNL Vaani, an AI-based cybersecurity partnership with Saptang Labs, the Bharat Sandesh messaging platform and an intended All-Photonics Network collaboration with Fujitsu Japan.
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Key Highlights
BSNL unveiled four initiatives covering customer support, cybersecurity, government messaging and fibre infrastructure.
Vaani will offer location-based live network status and voice complaint registration.
The Saptang Labs partnership focuses on AI-powered security built into BSNL’s network.
Bharat Sandesh enables two-way communication between government departments and citizens on infrastructure owned and controlled within India.
BSNL and Fujitsu Japan intend to develop an All-Photonics Network using existing dark fibre.
The initiatives were unveiled on October 8 at Yashobhoomi, New Delhi, in the presence of Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia and Department of Telecommunications Secretary Amit Agrawal. Together, they outline BSNL’s plans to make its services easier to access, strengthen protection within its network and explore new uses for its fibre infrastructure.
BSNL Vaani to Offer Local Network Status and Voice Complaints
One of the customer-facing announcements concerns BSNL Vaani, the operator’s existing chatbot. BSNL said Vaani will provide customers with a view of network performance at their location, alongside support in Indian languages and the ability to register complaints by voice.
According to the announcement, the app will automatically detect the user’s location and display live network status. Customers will also be able to listen to network details in the Indian language of their choice.
For subscribers, this could make it easier to understand whether a connectivity problem is linked to conditions in their area. Instead of navigating multiple menus or filling out a complaint form, users will be able to speak to register their concerns.
The emphasis on regional languages is particularly relevant to making customer support more accessible. However, BSNL’s announcement does not specify the complete list of supported languages or a rollout schedule for the new capabilities.
BSNL Partners With Saptang Labs for Network-Based Security
BSNL has also partnered with Saptang Labs, an Indian cybersecurity company, to strengthen the detection of and response to cyber threats within its network. The proposed approach places protection at the network level, rather than depending on security applications installed on individual customer devices. BSNL said the system uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to analyse network traffic, combines this with threat intelligence and automatically acts against malicious activity as it occurs.
This makes the security partnership a significant part of BSNL’s broader customer trust message. With the protection integrated into the network, the operator aims to strengthen security for the citizens and businesses using its connectivity services.
The announcement outlines the system’s intended capabilities but does not provide details about deployment coverage, the specific threats it will address or how customers will be informed when action is taken.
Bharat Sandesh Enables Two-Way Government Messaging
The third initiative, Bharat Sandesh, is a two-way messaging platform designed to help government departments communicate directly with citizens and receive responses.
Running on BSNL’s network and powered by ViH Messenger, the platform supports verified, interactive messages in regional languages. Citizens can respond through text, voice or an AI-assisted chatbot.
The two-way capability could help departments move beyond sending notifications. For example, a department communicating information about a welfare scheme could also collect questions or feedback from the people receiving those messages.
BSNL said Bharat Sandesh runs on infrastructure owned and controlled within India. Domestic control of the infrastructure is a central part of the platform’s positioning, alongside its regional-language support and multiple response options.
The announcement presents Bharat Sandesh as a platform for public information, service delivery and feedback. It does not identify participating government departments or provide a deployment timeline.
BSNL and Fujitsu Explore an All-Photonics Network
BSNL’s fourth announcement looks at the future of its fibre infrastructure. The operator and Fujitsu Japan have expressed their intent to develop an All-Photonics Network (APN) using BSNL’s existing dark fibre.
Dark fibre refers to optical fibre that has been laid but is not currently carrying active traffic. The proposed collaboration would explore putting that infrastructure to work for commercial hyperscaler services in major Indian cities.
For BSNL, this represents a potential opportunity to use its fibre assets to support infrastructure demand from large digital service providers. However, the announcement is an expression of intent, with no confirmed implementation schedule, initial city list or commercial launch date.
Customer Trust at the Centre of BSNL’s Announcements
BSNL Chairman and Managing Director A. Robert J. Ravi positioned the four initiatives around earning customer trust through accessible support, protection and communication.
“Trust is BSNL’s greatest strength, and we intend to earn it every single day,” Ravi said.
The announcements bring together immediate customer needs and longer-term infrastructure ambitions. Vaani focuses on helping subscribers understand network conditions and raise complaints, while the Saptang Labs partnership addresses security within the network. Bharat Sandesh extends BSNL’s role into government communication, and the Fujitsu collaboration explores the future use of its fibre backbone.
The next milestone will be the rollout details: when customers can access the new Vaani features, how widely the security system is deployed, which departments adopt Bharat Sandesh and how the proposed APN collaboration progresses.
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FAQs
What did BSNL announce at IMC 2026?
BSNL announced new Vaani features, an AI-based cybersecurity partnership with Saptang Labs, the Bharat Sandesh messaging platform and an intended All-Photonics Network collaboration with Fujitsu Japan.
What are the new features of BSNL Vaani?
BSNL Vaani will display live network status based on the user’s location, provide spoken network information in Indian languages and allow customers to register complaints by voice.
How will Saptang Labs strengthen BSNL’s security?
The partnership will use AI, machine learning and threat intelligence to detect and respond to malicious activity within BSNL’s network.
What is Bharat Sandesh?
Bharat Sandesh is a two-way government-to-citizen messaging platform powered by ViH Messenger. It supports verified messages in regional languages and responses through text, voice or an AI-assisted chatbot.
What is BSNL planning with Fujitsu Japan?
BSNL and Fujitsu Japan have expressed their intent to develop an All-Photonics Network using BSNL’s existing dark fibre to support commercial hyperscaler services in major Indian cities.
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